Blessed be the Name

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Imagine living on the steps of Western China. You live almost entirely isolated. You and your family and your sheep. One early morning as the sun rises, you hear the approach of a horse and rider. As he approaches you can see the slight smile on his face. As he swiftly dismounts he calls out words declaring he has good news! Good news! ...Your best friend has had her child... The enemy located on the other side of the valley has left... The village elder is well and the sickness has not taken him. In old Kazakh culture you were required to give a large gift to any bearer of good news. Of course, you would instinctively run in your yurt and find a gift for this dear deliverer of good news.

Well, we would be out a few hundred dollars this week if we practiced this wonderful custom! Good news has been flooding into our home...

Two pieces of VERY good news has brought much rejoicing in the last 24 hours! We have actually had more than one "victory dance" displayed in our living room! (Can you just picture Dave doing a victory dance?!) Thank you, Lord, our hearts rejoice. Ah, Thank you, Jesus, I whisper with relief and gratefulness. Tears of joy. Smiling from ear to ear. Good news!

On the heels of hearing good news, I was worshiping this morning. So distinctly, the song "Blessed be the Name of the Lord" came to my mind. God used the words of this song to powerfully remind me of an important truth in the midst of our good news. Today, "the sun is shining down on me and the world is all that it should be". For me right now, "The streams of abundance flow!" and I want to turn back and praise, saying "Blessed be the Name of the Lord".

Blessed be the Name of One who knows all All, who is All powerful, who is love. Blessed be the Name of the One who is Present, the One who is good and the One who hears, who sees. Blessed be the Name of the One who answers prayers!

After worship, I had the chance to talk to my sweet cousin whose baby is in the hospital with severe seizures and no answer. My heart was torn with such deep sadness as we talked. I can't even put myself in her situation and relate to what it might be to sit and watch your son in this situation.

As we talked and she shared about God's sustaining grace, my heart welled up with the truth that the Lord had so pointedly reminded me of earlier... "When the darkness closes in... When I am found in the desert place and when I walk through the wilderness"... still I will say!! my heart will choose to say!! ..."Blessed be your Name" She is saying this. She is sitting in a hospital with her dear one hooked up to monitors and wondering about his future. And still she chooses to say!...Blessed be the Name of One who knows all All, who is All powerful, who is love. Blessed be the Name of the One who is Present, the One who is good and the One who hears, who sees. Blessed be the Name of the One who answers prayers!

Every blessing you pour out, I will turn back to Praise. And, when the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say, Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

We bless your Name, Lord Jesus!